Bag and Methods of Use

ABSTRACT

An improved bag for carrying a plurality of items and methods of using the same are disclosed herein. In a preferred embodiment, the bag is made from a biodegradable material, such as paper, and the bag is used for carrying ice. The paper of the bag may be coated in a biodegradable wax laminate, such as a plant-based or animal-based wax, for increased water resistivity.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to an improved bag and methodsof use. More particularly the present disclosure relates to a recyclableand compostable paper bag for carrying ice and methods of using thesame.

Description of Related Art

Plastic bags and plastic packaging on goods is a common and knownpractice. One of the problems with using plastic to transport and storeitems is that plastic bags are not biodegradable and thus add to thepollution of our planet. Additionally, plastic bags are typically notreused and may be thrown out once any items are emptied from the bag.One area that is impacted by this problem is the area of packaging andtransporting ice. Ice, such as dry ice or frozen water, is typicallystored in clear plastic bags that are sealed with some sort of tie.While there are numerous potential solutions to the pollution problem,the results of applying such potential solutions are unpredictable.

Therefore, what is needed is an improved bag and methods of using thesame having the following characteristics and benefits over the priorart.

SUMMARY

The subject matter of this application may involve, in some cases,interrelated products, alternative solutions to a particular problem,and/or a plurality of different uses of a single system or article.

In one aspect, an improved bag is disclosed. In this aspect, the bagcomprises a body, which forms an interior capable of holding a pluralityof items. The body also forms an opening, which is sealable by a twinetie. Finally, in this aspect, a first and second handle are connected tothe body.

In another aspect, a freezer is disclosed. In this aspect, the freezercomprises a body forming an interior for storing a bag. In this aspect,the bag comprises a body having three layers of material, two handlesconnected to the body, and a plurality of ice sealed inside the body.

In yet another aspect, a method of using a bag is disclosed. In thisaspect, the bag comprises at least one layer of wax laminate and aplurality of ice inside the bag, and the method comprises the step ofmaintaining an external temperature around the bag below a melting pointof the plurality of ice.

It should be expressly understood that the various physical elements ofthe present disclosure summarized and further disclosed herein may be ofvarying sizes, shapes, or otherwise dimensions and made from a varietyof different materials or methods of manufacture without straying fromthe scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 provides a cross sectional perspective view of another embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 provides another cross sectional perspective view of yet anotherembodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 provides a perspective view of yet another embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings is intended as a description of presently preferred embodimentsof the invention and does not represent the only forms in which thepresent disclosure may be constructed and/or utilized. The descriptionsets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing andoperating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments.

Generally, the present disclosure concerns an improved bag for carryinga plurality of items. For example, the improved bag disclosed herein maybe used to carry numerous different types of items that aretraditionally packaged in plastic, such as groceries and othercommonplace items. In a preferred embodiment, the improved bag is usedto store and transport ice. Also, in said preferred embodiment, the bagis made from a biodegradable material, such as paper. When the bag ismade from paper, the bag may also be coated with a wax laminate. As willbe appreciated by those skilled in the art, not all types of wax arebiodegradable. For example, petroleum-based waxes, such as paraffin andmicrocrystalline wax, may not biodegrade. Therefore, in mostembodiments, the wax laminate may be an animal or plant-based waxlaminate. Some non-limiting examples of animal wax laminates mayinclude, but are not limited to, beeswax, tallow, lanolin, or ambergris.Plant wax laminates may include, but are not limited to, soy wax orcarnauba wax. Petroleum based wax such as paraffin and microcrystallinewax may be used but are preferably not used due to their potential lackof biodegradability.

In most embodiments, the wax paper forms a bag body, which may be sealedwith a twine tie. In some embodiments, the material that forms the bodyof the paper bag may be at most three (3) millimeters (mm) in thickness,and in other embodiments the material that forms the body of the paperbag may be at most 1.5 mm in thickness. The exact thickness of thematerial that forms the bag body may be critical to the reduction topractice of the present disclosure. For example, as will be appreciatedby those skilled in the art, paper, even paper coated or laminated withwax, is an inferior storage method to plastic for liquids, especiallyliquid water. The reason for this is that paper is made from cellulose,which is hydrophilic. When liquid water is added to paper, thehydrophilic hydrogen bonds of cellulose’s chemical structure tend toweaken and begin to dissolve in the water. Depending on the quantity ofthe liquid polar solvent added to a paper material, the tensile strengthof the paper may substantially decrease, thus creating a high likelihoodof tearing. In other words, the thicker the layer of paper, the higherthe amount of polar solvent that will be needed to cause a likelihood oftearing.

Pure paper may be more susceptible to tearing from being wet than paperthat is coated or laminated with a biodegradable laminate, such as thewax paper that forms the body of the ice bag in the preferredembodiment. The reason for this is that, unlike cellulose in paper butlike plastic, wax is hydrophobic and thus is not soluble in water.Therefore, a paper bag coated with a wax laminate may be even lesssusceptible to tearing than pure paper. Additionally, coating a paperwith a wax laminate may also reduce the thickness required for the bagto be water-resistant, thus allowing the overall combined thickness ofthe paper and laminate layers in the preferred embodiment to be 1.5 mmor less.

In some embodiments, depending on the method of use, the paper bag’slevel of water resistivity may not matter. For example, in mostembodiments, the paper bag may be used to transport and hold ice, whichis frozen water. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art,frozen or solid water is not miscible with paper, waxed or unwaxed, andthus, ice does not tend to create a likelihood of bag tearing frombecoming wet. Therefore, in some embodiments, a method of using thepaper bag(s) containing ice may comprise the step of maintaining the iceinside the bag at a temperature of zero (0) degrees Celsius (°C). Inmost embodiments, the bag may not be insulated, which means thetemperature of the ice inside the bag may be maintained by maintainingthe external temperature of the bag at the requisite degree.

Turning now to FIG. 1 , which provides a perspective view of anembodiment of a paper bag 1. In this embodiment, the paper bag 1comprises an exterior surface 4, which forms the body of the paper bag1. The paper bag 1 further comprises a first handle 2 and a secondhandle 3 connected to the body of the bag 1. In this embodiment, thefirst handle 2 and the second handle 3 are connected to the body of thebag 1 by being integrally formed into the exterior surface 4 of the bag1. In other words, in this embodiment, the first handle 2 and the secondhandle 3 are manufactured from the same material as the exterior surface4 material. Finally, in this embodiment, the body of the bag 1 is sealedby a twine tie 5.

FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional perspective view of a segment of thematerial that forms both the exterior surface 4 and the interior surface9 of the body of the paper bag 1. In this embodiment, the material hasthree layers: a first layer 6, a second layer 7, and a third layer 8.The first layer 6 on the exterior surface 4 and third layer 8 on theinterior surface 9 both comprise a plant or animal-based wax laminate.The second layer 7, positioned between the first layer 6 and the thirdlayer 8, comprises a paper material. Furthermore, in this embodiment,each individual layer has a thickness of at most five hundred (500)micrometers (µm), for a total combined thickness of at most 1,500 µm or1.5 mm.

FIG. 3 provides a cross sectional perspective view of the interior ofthe bag 1. In this embodiment, the bag 1 contains a plurality of ice 10,and the bag 1 is sealed by a twine tie 5. When the bag 1 is sealedproperly, the ice 10 is prevented from egressing through the opening 11of the bag 1, either due to the force of gravity or due to some otherexternal force, when the bag 1 is being carried or otherwise used. Thebag 1 may be carried or otherwise used by gripping either the firsthandle 2 or the second handle 3. In this embodiment, the second handle 3is attached to a side of the bag 1 that is opposite to the side of thebag 1 that forms the opening 11. This allows for the bag 1 to be carriedwith the sealed opening 11 facing the ground, if desirable. Thisconfiguration may also allow for ice 10 to be more easily removed fromthe bag 1, when the twine tie 5 is removed and the opening 11 isunsealed, by providing additional leverage to the user as ice 10 flowsout of the bag 1.

FIG. 4 provides a perspective view of a freezer 12, which holds aplurality of paper bags 13 containing ice. When the freezer door 14 isclosed, the ice inside the plurality of paper bags 13 is maintained at atemperature at or below the melting point of the ice. The purpose ofthis is to prevent the paper bags 13 from becoming wet, which wouldlower the tensile strength of the paper material and potentially causeit to tear. For this reason, when the paper bags 13 are beingtransported to or removed from the freezer 12, it is preferable to keepthe bags 13 in an insulated or actively cooled area so as to maintainthe temperature of the ice at or below its melting point of 0° C.

While several variations of the present disclosure have been illustratedby way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparentthat further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scopeof the present disclosure, or the inventive concept thereof. However, itis to be expressly understood that elements described in one embodimentmay be incorporated with any other embodiment in combination with anyother elements disclosed herein in the various embodiments. It is alsoto be expressly understood that any modifications and adaptations to thepresent disclosure are within the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appendedclaims as set forth.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bag comprising: a body, the body forming aninterior for holding a plurality of items and comprising an interiorsurface and an exterior surface; an opening, the body forming theopening on a side of the body; wherein the opening is sealable by atwine tie, and the twine tie touches the exterior surface surroundingthe opening; and a first handle and a second handle, the first andsecond handles being connected to the body.
 2. The bag of claim 1further comprising the plurality of items stored in the interior of thebody.
 3. The bag of claim 2 wherein the plurality of items comprises aplurality of ice.
 4. The bag of claim 1 wherein the interior surfacecomprises a wax laminate.
 5. The bag of claim 4 wherein the wax laminatecomprises a biodegradable material.
 6. The bag of claim 1 wherein theexterior surface comprises a wax laminate.
 7. The bag of claim 6 whereinthe wax laminate comprises a biodegradable material.
 8. The bag of claim1 wherein the body comprises a paper material positioned between theinterior surface and the exterior surface.
 9. The bag of claim 1 whereinat least one of the first handle or the second handle is connected tothe body by being integrally formed into the exterior surface.
 10. Thebag of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first handle or the secondhandle is connected to the body on a side that is opposite to the sideof the body that forms the opening.
 11. A freezer comprising: a bodyforming an interior for storing a bag, the bag comprising: a body, thebody being formed from a first layer, a second layer, and a third layerof material; a first handle and a second handle, the first and secondhandles being connected to the body; and a plurality of ice sealedinside the body of the bag.
 12. The freezer of claim 11 wherein thefirst layer of the body of the bag comprises a wax laminate.
 13. Thefreezer of claim 12 wherein the wax laminate comprises at least one of aplant-based or an animal-based wax material.
 14. The freezer of claim 11wherein the third layer of the body of the bag comprises a wax laminate.15. The freezer of claim 14 wherein the wax laminate comprises at leastone of a plant-based or an animal-based wax material.
 16. The freezer ofclaim 11 wherein the second layer of the body of the bag comprises apaper material.
 17. The freezer of claim 11 wherein at least one of thefirst handle or the second handle is connected to the body of the bag bybeing integrally formed into at least one of the first layer, the secondlayer, or the third layer of the bag.
 18. The freezer of claim 11wherein at least one of the first handle or the second handle of the bagis connected to the body of the bag on a side that is opposite to another side of the body that forms an opening.
 19. A method of using abag, the bag comprising at least one layer of wax laminate and aplurality of ice inside the bag, the method comprising the step ofmaintaining an external temperature around the bag below a melting pointof the plurality of ice.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the meltingpoint of the plurality of ice is 0° C.